- Ukraine, facing ammunition shortages and logistical challenges, relies on intercepted radio communications to conserve resources.
- The European country uses electronic warfare capabilities to anticipate and counter Russian attacks, including jamming enemy drones.
- Ukrainian soldiers use the decoded information to prepare for impending attacks and respond to enemy attacks.
“Brew 5 Chinese teabags with 38 oranges,” the Russian command blares loud and clear as the radio crackles with enemy transmissions that are difficult to decipher.
Ukrainian soldiers, known on the battlefield as Mikas, can quickly decipher gibberish. The plan is to prepare five Beijing-made artillery shells and fire them at specific Ukrainian positions in the Serebryansky Forest, which forms the front line in the restive northeast of Ukraine.
Hiding in the basement of an abandoned house 11 miles away, Mikas immediately alerted the commander of a unit lurking in that part of the woods, giving him critical time to entrench his men and save lives.
Recruitment activities accelerate as Ukraine’s military strength declines, and draft age reduction proposed
After two years of war, the Ukrainian military, severely short of ammunition and soldiers on the defensive front, is increasingly turning to age-old tactics of intelligence gleaned from radio intercepts in a desperate effort to protect its most vital resources. I’ve come to rely on it.
A Ukrainian military officer listens to a conversation between Russians at a shelter on January 24, 2024. To protect its most vital resources, the Ukrainian military is increasingly relying on information gleaned from radio intercepts. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
This painstaking work will enhance electronic warfare capabilities so that soldiers can receive earlier warning of impending attacks while also gaining the battlefield information they need to make their attacks more lethal. It is part of a larger effort to refine the Signal jamming has also increased to prevent enemy drone attacks.
Russia renovates old tanks to replace 3,000 lost in Ukraine, research center says
After months of near-stalemate on a 621-mile front, Ukraine expects heavy attacks next year from Russia’s adversaries determined to shatter its defenses in order to forge a breakthrough. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there will be no peace until Russia achieves its goals, including retaking the entire Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that it illegally annexed in 2022.
General Oleksandr Shirsky, who was elevated to lead Ukraine’s military last week, has emphasized the importance of electronic warfare, and the country’s Defense Ministry is increasing spending on personnel and technology to support it.
save a life
Russia, which controls about a fifth of Ukraine, has the advantage of a well-developed domestic arms industry and uses conscription and coercion to raise its military.
A lack of ammunition in Ukraine has forced the brigades to use artillery shells sparingly and only after finding a precise target. Difficulties in mobilizing troops mean Ukrainian commanders must take special precautions to protect the lives of soldiers trying to fend off a ferocious Russian attack.
In this context, increased surveillance, eavesdropping and interference become even more urgent.
In Konstantinivka, a town in the Donetsk region a few kilometers south of where Mikhas is located, electronic warfare units of the 93rd Brigade use jammers to thwart attack drones, the main cause of injuries to soldiers in the region. are doing.
The platoon commander remains alert, staring at a laptop displaying signals received by a small antenna installed near the front lines. When a Russian Lancet attack drone approaches an area of operation, its screen lights up to indicate activity.
The commander, known on the battlefield as Oleksandr, flips a switch to activate a jammer that jams the drone’s radar. It’s like shining a bright light into someone’s eyes and disorienting them.
“It’s a must,” he says of their operation. “Many people are dying because of drones.”
Radio operators like Mikas work 24-hour shifts.
The antenna he relies on to receive Russian radio signals is camouflaged and sticks out from trees in a forest near Kreminna, close to Russian military positions. Nearby, in a quiet underground command center, Mijas and other soldiers chain-smoke cigarettes and listen to the sounds through headphones.
New sophisticated signal-detecting antennas resemble carousels and use triangulation to determine the source of radio waves.
They cross-reference what they hear with images collected from reconnaissance drones and use detailed maps of enemy positions to slowly piece together what it means.
They are part of a 50-person intelligence unit known as the “Bunnies of Circassians.” The name comes from Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist who advised warriors to feign weakness when they are strong.
“Who takes rabbits seriously?” said Mr. Chakes, commander of the unit of the same name.
Radio intercepts have revealed that the Kremlin is attempting to take control of the entire Serebryansky Forest, which separates Ukrainian-controlled Ryman from Russian-occupied Kremina. This is part of efforts to reach Torske, a village in Donetsk region west of Kreminna. From Torske, Russia would come closer to retaking the nearby stronghold of Lyman, but that would be a devastating setback for Ukraine and disrupt its ability to transport supplies to the front.
Decoding the command
Circass and his men, most of whom are volunteers who have volunteered to serve in the infantry, understand that the risks could not be greater, especially as there are growing signs that support from Western allies may no longer be secure.
After listening to Russian communications for hours every day, many of which are related to troop rotations, artillery bombardment, and drone reconnaissance, with the help of specialized computer software you gradually understand what it means. are doing.
“Cucumber” is a mortar, “carrot” is a grenade launcher, and the position is conveyed by a numerical code of the corresponding color. It took several months to decipher these Russian orders.
The arrival of new combat equipment and ammunition, especially infantry, indicates that a new attack is imminent.
“(Soldiers) are not interested in what kind of radar the Russians have. Is there an attack tonight, who is coming, are there tanks, are there armored vehicles? We need information about whether it’s just infantry,”’ Circass said.
“And you need to understand how long you have to prepare. One week? Two weeks? One month?”
Advance information that enemy forces are moving in and out is also useful for Ukrainian soldiers about to go on the offensive. That is when the greatest human cost can occur.
Last week, Russian troops carried out a raid against a neighboring brigade. But the Ukrainian soldiers stationed there were ready to welcome them.
go ahead
The importance of electronic surveillance cannot be underestimated, said Yaroslav Kalinin, CEO of Infozahist, a company contracted by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
Before the war, Infozahyst provided anti-wiretapping services to the offices of the president and prime minister. When the war began, the company shifted its focus to supporting the military by producing the versatile signal direction-finding systems that were now in high demand.
Kalinin said the government recently doubled its contract with Infozahist.
The increased surveillance capabilities are also part of a recognition of the need to catch up with Russia, which had invested heavily in this technology long before the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin reveals rare details about Ukraine war, says there will be no peace until goals are achieved
Kalinin believes better, smaller devices that are easier to hide and move will ultimately give Ukraine an advantage.
Russians know they are being listened to and routinely try to mislead their enemies with false information. It’s up to Mijas and other radio workers to discern the signal from the noise.
“Their artillery will help us,” he explained. “They say where to fire, and then we see where the shells land.”
“38 Orange” is the location where Mikas recently heard that an attack was planned, and is marked on the map by a small dot. And it’s surrounded by hundreds of other dots that show where they deciphered it.
“We need a lot of time to figure these things out,” he said.
But the clock is ticking as Russia ramps up pressure.
